Brand Jamaica is again at the centre of another controversial
international ad, as another German company, Saturn Electronics, has
made a new ad.

Again some Jamaicans have raised eyebrows, citing that the ad shows a lack of respect for the Jamaican flag.

The opening scene of the ad was set in a small coffee shop with
two Caucasian males attempting to make coffee. A slight accident occurs
which starts a fire on the shirt sleeve of one of the males. He then
flashes his hand in an attempt to put out the blaze, but ended up
spreading the fire to a large Jamaican flag which was hanging on the
kitchen wall.

Both men seemingly frightened at the burning flag, brought it
outside where they repeatedly stomped on it on the sidewalk in an
attempt to put out the fire.

massive demonstration
The act was
caught on camera and the footage prompted a massive demonstration with
thousands of people converging on the scene with huge Jamaican flags, as
many assumed that the men stomping on the Jamaican flag were
disrespectful.

The ad climaxed with some protesters chanting ‘we love Jamaica’,
while there was the unfurling of a huge Jamaican flag from the top of a
skyscraper building, as a response to the small flag which was damaged
by fire.

Some may see this ad as a reflection of the huge influence that
Jamaica has in Europe. However, lecturer at the University of the West
Indies (Mona) and cultural analyst, Dr Donna Hope-Marquis, says she will
not accept the destruction of Jamaica’s national symbols by
international companies to sell products.

“I love my German friends. But no matter how anyone tries to spin
it, the burning of my country’s flag and stomping on it in any form is
an attack against my nationalism. Tell Saturn to go and burn an American
flag or a British flag and see how it would work out,” Dr Hope-Marquis
said.

According to the cultural analyst, the ad should be revoked.

disrespectful and offensive

“This disrespectful and offensive ad should be revoked
with immediate effect. And to those who see it as a great plug for
Jamaica…, wi nuh need nuh baddy fi promote Jamaica … Wi dun large a
yaad and abroad. Hop offa Ja fenda,” she wrote on her Facebook page.

Dr Hope-Marquis believes Jamaicans should be more territorial
about their national symbols, in order to prevent outsiders from
exploiting them for personal

benefits.

Comedian Rohan Gunter

recently told The STAR that he had no problem with the controversial Volkswagen commercial. He continues to sing a similar tune.

“Jamaica is now on a high worldwide. Bob Marley and the Grammy
tribute, Usain Bolt at the NBA Celebrity All-Star game and the VW
controversial and creative ad. Saturn is now riding the horse for what
it’s worth because

controversy sells,” he said.

Gunter says Jamaicans should simply learn to live in peace with
each other. “The Jamaican people, although little on the map, we are a
big name on the world stage and this only adds to that. The Government
needs to cash in on the prize and stop being blind to the bigger
picture. Stealing millions of dollars and murdering people is worse than
burning a flag. Fix these issues and then I will have a problem with
somebody burning the flag of my beloved country in the name of art,” he
said.

The Saturn coffee shop commercial now has over 500,000 views on
YouTube.com. However, based on the comments relating the images of the
burning flag some YouTubers are less than impressed. The ad also
featured Barrington Levy’s single Murderer as the sound track.

In an article posted on http://oonuyard.com, Barrington
Levy said although he gave the company permission to use his song, he is
outraged at the burning of the Jamaican flag.

The website quoted Levy as saying, “They got permission to use my
song, they didn’t say what they were going to do with my song but if
they did say they were going to use my song to burn my country flag that
would be a total disrespect to my thing and my country and my people,
not only burning it but trampling it like that is a total